A Welcome Like No Other
by isobeljones2000
Summary: (Based on a Tumblr prompt) Lexi's not sure what she's expecting as a welcome when she returns to preschool after yet another of her father's 'business trips'. It certainly wasn't this sort of welcome she was anticipating.


_A/N) I am really into writing Tom and Lexi as children at the moment... Expect a couple more as my summer holidays has just started! Meaning more writing time for me!_

 _'Imagine your OTP as kids in a preschool, and Person A is absent from preschool for whatever reason. The day A comes back, Person B notices them and runs up to Person A to hug them, inspiring other kids in the preschool class to hug Person A to welcome them back.'_

Lexi steps nervously over the threshold of the front entrance into the brightly coloured room, wincing slightly at the vicious onslaught of harshly bright colours attacking her retinas, all greens and oranges and pinks and blues decorating the preschool classroom which never failed to assault her vision first thing on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

Of course, it's a welcome sight, as she hasn't been here for over a week now, after her father pulled her out of preschool _again_ after an argument with some other official. She was getting somewhat used to it now, though she had decided a while ago not to try and understand her father's reasoning. It is generally safer that way.

At first glance there's no one in the room; it's oddly isolated and quiet, and Lexi can't help but feel a stab of worry. Shouldn't there be people here at this time in the morning? Has she come on the wrong day? Has there been some kind of irrational leap week and it's now a Friday instead of a Thursday? If so how will she get home? There's no chance her father will deign to pick her up, Varg's at school and she's not allowed to cross the roads by herself to get home.

Luckily then there's a scraping of chairs and a flood of preschool children burst into the room from the consecutive one: the art area. Lexi breathes again, and brushes back her long blond hair that hangs in her eyes. She's not alone. There's no leap week. She won't have to brave the walk home alone.

The teacher doesn't seem to have noticed her yet. But one person has, a younger boy with bright eyes and long dark-brown hair, who Lexi has known ever since she first started preschool, who helped her through the first fearful days and who has stuck resolutely by her side throughout the months she's been here. It's his eyes that first light up when they land on Lexi, and his smile that she first sees out of the crowd of young children.

Tom wastes no time in racing over to Lexi who is still stood awkwardly by the door, and throwing his arms enthustiastically around her, hugging her tightly. Lexi allows a smile to fall onto her usually serious face as she returns her best friend's hug. He's obviously delighted to see her; he has often said on many occasions that he misses her when she's away, which is increasingly often due to her father's current foul moods. He says as much now, his voice slightly muffled by Lexi's shoulder which he's pressing his face into. "Missed you, Lex!"

"I missed you too, Tom," Lexi says honestly. It's a long lonely week without the cheery optimistim of her best friend, and Lexi is glad she's back.

Tom glances around, a grin on his young face as he makes a motioning gesture to the group of children nearby. Lexi realises what he's trying to get them to do, and urgently taps Tom's shoulder as an indication not to. It's not that she doesn't like her class, she's just always been quite shy and the loud chatter of the group of children has always intimidated her. Tom knows this, and he's been eager to help her try and conquer that fear. This seems like another part of that plan. Lexi desperately hopes it doesn't work.

But of course, for Tom - being the popular charismatic one that instantly grabbed and kept the love and support of the entire class from day one - his friends are willing to do whatever he's doing or wants them to do. So the four year old girl is instantaneously swamped with grasping arms as nearly the entire class envelops her in one giant crushing hug that nearly squeezes the life out of Lexi. Tom's right in the middle, his arms firmly fixed around her as everyone else joins in around them. Lexi doesn't think she's ever had such a welcome.

When everyone feels they have crushed her sufficiently, they begin to move away, chatting and laughing merrily. Some smile at Lexi and the young girl feels herself smiling shyly back, feeling involved in the larger group for once, despite all the times she's been out or away from preschool. If a smug smile could exist on the face of a four year old, there is one on Tom's face now, as he knows his welcoming tactic has done the intended job.

"Thanks, Tom," Lexi says quietly, slipping one hand into her friend's naturally. It comforts her, having his hand firm and tangible in hers, being able to feel somebody else's presence there when she needs it.

Tom, from his position still half-hugging Lexi, moves back and smiles brightly at the slightly older girl, the happiness on his face genuine and shining. "Welcome back, Lexi."


End file.
